Coiled cable dispenser



Oct. 1, 1963 s. F. czAPLA COILED CABLE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1961 INVENTOR. STEVE F CZAPLA I 31 United States Patent 3,105,654 CGILED ABLE DHSPENSER Steve F. Czapla, 7515 Sherman Drive, @maha, Nehr. Filed Mar. 23, 1%1, Ser. No. 97,930 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-1133) This invention relates to wire packages or coils, such as of electric wire used in wiring, particularly, a new home, and in particular a wire coil holder and dispenser including arcuate shoes carried by spaced parallel bars designed to be clamped to studding of a wall or the like, and wherein the shoes are designed to be placed in a center opening of a coil of wire with one of the shoes urged outwardly by resilient means to grip the wire coil whereby wire is readily drawn from the dispenser and wherein rotation of the coil is restricted by friction washers to prevent the wire coil holder and dispenser running wild and fouling the wire.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for dispensing electric wire used in wiring a building or the like whereby time required to wire a building is reduced to a minimum and waste of wire is substantially obviated.

In conventional construction electric wires are dispensed from a coil in a flat position with the insulated conductors parallel and the assembly is usually in sizes of 142 and 122. This cable is usually put up in coils of 2 -50 feet. In general use a coil is grasped by both hands of an electrican and the coil is uncoiled as the electrican walks around on the site of an installation. Under most conditions there are pieces of construction materials strewn about which cause the cable to kink or hook-up as it is being pulled into place. Materials used by other craftsmen on the job also limit the space necessary to unooil the cable. If the cable is not properly uncoiled kinks and damage result, as Well as making an unsightly job. This dispenser is also useful for other assemblies, such as 123, 10-3, and the like.

The time required to wire a conventional three bedroom house is from 8 to 12 man-hours and the union scale for a journeyman in at least one part of the country, such as Omaha, Nebraska, is $3.85. The National Electrical code requires an outlet every twelve feet of lineal wall space, and a three bed-room home of 1000 sq. it, generally requires 1000 feet of cable. The improved dispenser of this invention, which saves both time and material is, therefore, desirable.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a dispenser for electrical cable which is temporarily clamped to parts of buildings and from which cable is drawn without waste.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coiled cable dispenser in which a rotatable wire or cable coil and dispenser is frictionally held to eliminate slack in the cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cable dispenser in which a coil of wire or cable is held on shoes of a spool by resiliently actuated arms.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a holder for electric cable supplied in coils in which the cofls are positioned on shoes extended from parallel bars and positioned in a center opening of the coil, and wherein one of said shoes is clamped to the bars and another urged outwardly by resilient means to grip the coil.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder and dispenser for coils of wire used in wiring buildings in which coil gripping arms are pivotally mounted so that they may swing outwardly to facilitate placing coils of wire on the holder, and also to permit removing coils from the holder.

A still further object is to provide a coiled cable dispenser which is of a simple and economical construction.

3,l5,554 Patented Get. 1, 1963 Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a method in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the ant without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view illustrating the coiled cable dispenser of the present invention and showing arcuate shoes adjustably mounted on parallel bars and designed to be inserted into a center opening of a coil of wire, or cable.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view showing the dispenser mounted by a clamp on a stud with parts of the clamp broken away, and with one of the coil gripping arms illustrated in an extended position in broken lines.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section through the coiled cable dispenser showing the shoes, arms pivotally mounted at the extended ends of the shoes, and parallel bars on which the shoes are adjustably mounted, the arms being illustrated in extended positions in broken lines.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral lil refers to the wire or cable coil holder and wire or cable dispenser of this invention in its entirety, numerals 12 and 14 indicating a pair of parallel guide bars, the ends of which are held together by tie bars 16 and 18, numeral 20 indicating a plate upon which the bars 12 and 14 are carried, numeral 22 indicating -a pin extended from a channel bar 24- and upon which the plate and guide bars are pivotally mounted, numerals 26 and 28 arcuate shoes adjustably mounted by U-sh'aped bars on the guide bars, numerals 3i! and 32 arms positioned in ends of the shoes and retained in holding positions against ends of coils on the shoes by springs 34 and 36, and numeral 38 a dog pivotally mounted by a pin 49 in the channel bar 24 and actuated by a cam 42 of a lever 44 to clamp a stud 46 against an angle bar 48 also onthe channel bar 24, thereby providing means for retaining the dispenser on a stud or other part of a building or the like.

The angle bar 48 is provided with set screws 50 that are threaded into an extending leg of the bar, and the set screws are provided with lock nuts 52. The dog 38 is also provided with a set screw 54 and a lock nut 56 is positioned on the screw 54. The lever 44 is pivotally mounted by a pin 58 between ears 60 of a clip 62, also secured to the channel bar 24, and it will be noted that as the lever 44 is moved from the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 2 to that shown in broken lines the stud will be clamped between the set screws of the dog and angle bar. When released the dog is urged away from the stud by springs 64 and 66, one of the ends of which are held on a pin 68 extended through the dog and the opposite ends of which are held in the channel bar 24 by a pin 7%. The back '72 of the channel bar 24 is provided with a slot 74 through which the dog 33 extends and in which the clip 62 is positioned.

The guide bars, shoes, md plate 20 are rotatably mounted by a sleeve 76 on the pin 22 and the outer end of the sleeve is provided with a cap 78. The end of the pin is provided with a key 89 that prevents accidental separation of the sleeve from the pin. The sleeve is reinforced laterally by diagonal brace plates 82 which hold the sleeve and pin normal to the plate 20.

Rotation of the spool on the pin 22 is restricted by the friction or tension washers 84 and S5.

The 'arcuate shoe 26 is mounted by U-shaped bars 83 and )9 on the parallel guide bars, as shown in FIGURE 1, and the shoe is urged outwardly by a spring 92, one end of which is attached by a stud 94 to the shoe, and the opposite end of which is secured in an opening 96 of a threaded stud 98 which is secured in the tie bar 16 by a lock nut 1th). The arcuate shoe 28 is mounted by U-shaped bars 152 and 1G4 on the bars 12 and 14, and the shoe is clamped in adjusted positions by a thumb screw 1% threaded in a web 198 and rotatably mounted in a web 110, as shown in FIGURE 3. The outer end of the thumb screw 1% is provided with a handle 112. By this means shoe 28 is readily adjusted to different distances from the center of the wire coil to compensate for coils of difierent sizes.

The outer ends 114 and 116 of the arms 30 and 32 are beveled outwardly to facilitate placing a coil of wire on the dispenser and the inner ends are provided with tongues 118 and 120' which coact with fingers 122 and 124 of the arm 39, and 126 and 128 of the arm 32, to retain inner ends of the arms straddled over edges 130 and 132 of the inner webs of the U-shaped bars. The inner ends of the arms 30 and 32 are urged against the edges of the webs of the U-shaped bars by springs 34 and 36, one of the ends of which are secured in studs 134 in the U-shaped bars, and the opposite ends of which are secured in tabs 136 extended from the arms 30 and 32. The arms 30 and 32 are folded outwardly, as indicated by broken lines 133 and 140' to facilitate placing a coil of wire or cable on the shoes of the cable coil holder and I dispenser.

The tie bars 16 and 18 are secured to ends of the bars 12 and 14 by screws 142.

It will be seen that the arcuate shoes 26 and 28 form oppositely facing coil-engaging means and that the shoes 26 and 28 are each elongated in a direction transverse to the elongated guide means which latter is formed by the guide bars 12 and 14.

It will be seen that the outer ends of the arcuate shoes 26 and 28 provide surfaces for engaging the arms 3t) and 32 and that the outer ends of the U-shaped bars 88 and 9% also have surfaces for engaging the arms 30 and 32.

In a sense, the U-shaped bars 8 8 and 90* form parts of what are there called first and second oppositely facing coil engaging means, the major part of which latter is, of course, formed by the arcuate shoes 26 and 28.

It will be seen that the springs '34 and 36 form the major part of releasable means for holding the arms 138 and 140 in coil retaining positions with their inner sides generally parallel to the guide means formed by the guide bars 12 and 14, the remainder of such releasable means for holding the arms in coil retaining positions being those surfaces of the U-shaped members 88 and 102 which engage the arms 30 and 32.

The tension washers 84 and 86 exert tension by their resiliency and it will be seen that the channel bar 24 forms a means mounted on the angle bar -43 and associated clamping parts, the angle bar 48 and associated With the parts assembled as illustrated and described the arms 30 and 32 are bent downwardly to the broken line positions, shown in FIGURE 3, and a coil of wire placed on the shoes. The reel or cable holder is then clamped to a stud, such as the stud 46, of a wall of studding, as shown in FIGURE 2, and wire or cable is drawn from the dispenser as required. With the cable holder frictionally held the possibility of the spool running wild and wasting or fouling the wire is substantially obviated,

and with the cable holder in a convenient position exact lengths of wire may be cut from the cable holder, so excess wire on the floor and around the job is eliminated.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a coiled cable dispenser constructed in accordance with my inveniton is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the prin-' ciples and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish who understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a wire coil dispenser, the combination which comprises a clamp including a stationary angle bar and a pivotally mounted dog, and a lever actuated cam for moving the dog to clamp a stud against the angle bar, a

in extended from the clamp, a pair of spaced elongated parallel guide bars positioned to straddle said pin, means rotatably mounting the guide bars on the pin, friction washers positioned between the guide bars and clamp for restricting rotation of the guide bars on the pin, shoes slidably mounted on the guide bars and extended therefrom, said shoes being positioned to extend into a center opening of a coil of wire, means for clamping one of said shoes on the guide bars, a spring for urging the other of said shoes away from the center of said dispenser, arms pivotally mounted in extended ends of the shoes, and springs extended through the shoes for urging the arms against a coil of Wire on the shoes.

2. A wire coil holder and wire dispenser comprising elongated guide means, first and second oppositely facing coil engaging means each elongated in a direction transverse of said guide means and each having one end slidably mounted on said guide means for movement longitudinally of said guide means, a means for adjustably clamping the first one of said coil engaging means on the said guide means for adjusting said holder towire coils of various internal diameters, spring means mounted on said guide means and connected to the said second coil engaging means for urging the second coil engaging means away from the first coil engaging means to firmly press against an inner surface of a wire coil to hold said coil firmly, coil retaining arms pivotally mounted in the other ends of said coil engaging means and spaced from said guide means sufficiently for receiving a coil of wire between said arms and said guide means, releasable means for holding said arms in coil retaining positions with their inner sides generally parallel to said guide means, mounting means for mounting the holder on a support, and means for rotatably mounting said guide means on said mounting means.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said means for holding said arms in said coil retaining positions comprises: coil receiving assemblies each having arm engaging surfaces thereon for engaging said arms when said arms are in said coil retaining positions and cooperative with said springs for holding said arms in said coil engaging positions, and tension springs each attached at an inner end of each of said arms, the opposite end of each of said tension springs being attached to a respective coil supporting assembly so that said arms are urged against said arm engaging surfaces.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which: said coil engaging means and said arms are so constructed as to permit said arms to be released from said coil retaining positions and from the described engagement with said arm engaging surfaces respectively so that at desired times said arms can be disposed in positions extending substantially at right angles to said guide means so as to be received through the open center of a coil wire.

5. The combination of claim 2 in further combination with friction means for restricting rotation of said guide means on said mounting means, means on said mounting means coopenative with and engaging said friction means for retarding motion of said friction means, and means mounted on said guide means and correlated with and engag ng said friction means for retarding relative motion of said guide means with respect to said friction means.

6. A Wire coil holder and Wire dispenser comprising elongated guide means, first and second oppositely facing coil engaging means each elongated in a direction transverse of said guide means and each having one end slidably mounted on said guide means for movement longitudinally of said guide means, a means for adj-ustably clamping a first one of said coil engaging means on the said guide means for adjusting said holder to Wire coils of various intennal diameters, spring means mounted on said guide means and connected to the other of said second coil engaging means for urging the second coil engaging means away from the first coil engaging means to firmly press against an inner surface of a Wit-re coil to hold said coil nrmly, means on the outer ends. of said coil engaging means for retaining a :coil on said coil engaging means, said coil retaining means being movable for disposal out of the Way at times when a coil is being placed on said coil engaging means, mounting means for mounting the holder on a support, and means for rotatably mounting said guide means on said mounting means, said mounting means for mounting the holder on a support comprising a clamp for quickly clamping onto said support, said clamp having an elongated lever, said lever having one end adapted to he gripped by the operator and said lever heing pivotally mounted on the remainder of said clamp and said clamp having means thereon for accomplishing a clamping and un'clamping responsive to movements of said elongated lever transversely of itself in each of two opposite directions about its pivotal connection ior the clamping and unclamping of said clamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 948,207 Coon Feb. 1, 1910 1,056,410 Goch-ik Mar. 18, 1913 1,262,446 Caron Apr. 9, 1918 2, 96,984 Craig Sept. 9, 1947 2,778,583 Thurston Jan. 22, 1957 

2. A WIRE COIL HOLDER AND WIRE DISPENSER COMPRISING ELONGATED GUIDE MEANS, FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITELY FACING COIL ENGAGING MEANS EACH ELONGATED IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF SAID GUIDE MEANS AND EACH HAVING ONE END SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE MEANS FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID GUIDE MEANS, A MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY CLAMPING THE FIRST ONE OF SAID COIL ENGAGING MEANS ON THE SAID GUIDE MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID HOLDER TO WIRE COILS OF VARIOUS INTERNAL DIAMETERS, SPRING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE MEANS AND CONNECTED TO THE SAID SECOND COIL ENGAGING MEANS FOR URGING THE SECOND COIL ENGAGING MEANS AWAY FROM THE FIRST COIL ENGAGING MEANS TO FIRMLY PRESS AGAINST AN INNER SURFACE OF A WIRE COIL TO HOLD SAID COIL FIRMLY, COIL RETAINING ARMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID COIL ENGAGING MEANS AND SPACED FROM SAID GUIDE MEANS SUFFICIENTLY FOR RECEIVING A COIL OF WIRE BETWEEN SAID ARMS AND SAID GUIDE MEANS, RELEASABLE MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID ARMS IN COIL RETAINING POSITIONS WITH THEIR INNER SIDES GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID GUIDE MEANS, MOUNTING MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE HOLDER ON A SUPPORT, AND MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID GUIDE MEANS ON SAID MOUNTING MEANS. 